Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

This is a sector with which I am very familiar. I worked as a landscape gardener for many years prior to and while still in politics. I am very much familiar with the issue and very much in support of the amenity horticulture side of it and in terms of nursery stocks.

In January 2019, the European Union (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Peat Extraction) Regulations 2019 and the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2019 came into effect. These regulations came into force after a decision by An Bord Pleanála upheld by the High Court that large-scale peat extraction is not exempt development and requires planning permission, as the Senator said. On 20 September 2019, the High Court ruled that proceedings brought challenging the regulations should be allowed on certain grounds. This decision means that peat cannot be extracted from areas larger than 30 ha from Irish bogs unless the developer has planning permission to do so.

Peat is traditionally a very important component of the national horticultural and amenity plant sector. However, while this is still the case, the industry continues to develop and progress. While currently there are no suitable or viable alternatives to using peat for mushroom casing, the horticulture sector is researching alternatives for peat such as biochar, spent mushroom stabilisation and other forms. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is supporting the research process by funding two research projects commissioned by Ireland's mushroom producer organisation, CMP.

My Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a consultation document, entitled A review of the use of peat in the horticultural industry, to fulfil action 5 under the national peatland strategy. The consultation invited written submissions from stakeholders to be submitted by the 20 January 2020.

On 7 September 2020, I published a report on the review of the use of peat moss in the horticultural industry. The review report was prepared by an inter-agency working group following on from submissions from stakeholders. After the publication of this report, I set up a working group to consider impacts on the sector. It is proposed that this working group will represent Departments, including Agriculture, Food and the Marine, State agencies, environmental non-governmental organisations and industry stakeholders. The working group will address the key issues raised in the report, including future use of peat by the horticulture sector. The position of chair for the independent working group that will be formed has been advertised and the closing date for receipt of the applications was 23 November. Once the chair is in place, we will set that working group to task in its important work.